Scripture: Acts 2:1-4; Ezekiel 36:22-27
Pentecost: 1. A Promise Fulfilled 2. A Purity Realized 3. A Power Possessed
Pentecost speaks of a Promise Fulfilled - the coming of the Holy Spirit
Pentecost speaks of a Purity to be Realized - the forgiveness of all sin (non-intentional and intentional)
Pentecost speaks of a Power to be possessed - both by individuals and the community of believers into a faith community of unity and oneness.
INTRO:
Good morning! I am so glad you are all here this morning as we celebrate Pentecost Sunday. As you know, Pentecost Sunday is one of those High Holy Days in the life of the Church. Experiencing Pentecost or the coming of the Holy Spirit has to be one of the great highlight of any disciple of Jesus.
For some people, however, any sermon or discussion about the Holy Spirit seems to create a spirit of anxiety. The idea of God filling a person with His Holy Spirit, makes them feel a little uneasy. They just don't like to talk about anything having to do with the supernatural. It's okay to discuss, teach and preach on the teachings of Jesus, but, when we get to talking about being filled with the Holy Spirit they feel uncomfortable. It all sounds too mystical, to other worldly.
For others, such discussion brings a bit of culpability and shame. They read these fantastic stories of miracles, anointings with signs and wonders and wonder if they are for our time. And if they are for our time, why don't we witness more of them. In their hearts and minds they just don't see the power, presence and purity of the Holy Spirit in our world today. And they wonder if it has to do with them. Is there something that they are missing?
I hope for you today, speaking and reading about the Holy Spirit is a joy. For there is no greater experience than having the Holy Spirit present and active in your life. There is no greater comfort and companion than living in the purity, sanctification and justification of the LORD in our lives.
This morning, in particular I would like for us to realize that:
1. Pentecost is a Promise Fulfilled
2. Pentecost is Purity Realized
3. Pentecost is a Power Possessed - both by individuals and by the corporate body of Christ.
I. Pentecost is a Promise of the Father Fulfilled
God's Word is replete with passages dealing with the Holy Spirit and the Promise of the Father to bring about the complete age of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is active in creation (Genesis 1:2) and in the lives of men and women (Genesis 6:1-3). Moses and the Children of Israel are given a taste of the majesty of the Holy Spirit ( Numbers 11:16-25) with the outpouring upon the 70 elders.
Individuals are filled with the Holy Spirit. We see that in the lives of Job (Job 33:4), David (1 Chronicles 28:12; 2 Samuel 23:2), Nehemiah (Nehemiah 9:20), Bazalel (Exodus 35:30-36:1), Joseph (Genesis 41:38) and others. Each of these individuals are spoken of as having the Holy Spirit filling them, anointing them and giving them special insight to do their assigned tasks. Prophets like Elijah and Elisha are seen as men living entirely under the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit (2 Kings 2 and 5). Daniel is renowned in the time of the exile as a man full of God's Holy Spirit (Daniel 4:8-9; 5:11).
The presence of the Holy Spirit is one of the main themes in the prophetic writings of Ezekiel ( 11:19; 36:26-27; 37:14), Isaiah (44:3) and the prophet Joel (2:28-29). Others, like Jeremiah (31:33) look forward to a time when the Spirit will come and give people a new covenant, a new heart and a new vision.
And if all these examples are not enough, Jesus, Himself, talks a great deal about the Holy Spirit (cf. Luke 11:13; 12:12; John 7:37-39; 14-16; 20:22). However, He does so in a peculiar manner. When Jesus refers to the coming of the Holy Spirit, He tells us that the Coming of the Holy Spirit is a result of the "PROMISE OF THE FATHER" (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5).
And it that point that we want to lift up. While all others speak of and point to a time of the coming Spirit, Jesus tells us that the Spirit's coming is a fulfillment of His Heavenly Father's Promise. Jesus tells us plainly that the Coming of the Holy Spirit is a part of the Father's plan for His People.
"And behold, am sending the Promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." - Luke 24:49 (ESV)
"And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." - Acts 1:4-5 (ESV)
The coming of the Holy Spirit into our world is not something the church invented. It is something that the church was promised by our Heavenly Father. The coming of the Holy Spirit is God making good on His promise. It is the words of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus, coming to reality. And it is a privilege that you and I are able to enjoy this morning. We have the Holy Spirit this morning, because our Heavenly Father promised His Holy Spirit.
II. Pentecost is Purity Realized
Purity is a central theme in many antique texts and in many parts of both Jewish and Christian Scriptures.1 People came to realize that they needed God, they needed to experience God and needed and desired to have a relationship with God. However, how does one approach a Holy God? How does one approach the Almighty? How does man born of a woman, born in sin able to come into the presence of a Holy God? (Job 14:1)
Isaiah 6 opens up with this type of drama unfolding in the life of the Prophet Isaiah. Isaiah finds himself seeing the LORD JEHOVAH sitting on His Heavenly throne. He sees God surrounded by seraphim and he hears Heaven praising and proclaiming the Holiness of God. "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty." Isaiah finds himself in the presence of the LORD GOD JEHOVAH and he is both shaken and plunged into a state of remorse.
For while he can see the train of God's robes, while he can hear the voices of heavenly beings, he is not allowed to join them. He cannot lift up his voice and join in their praise chorus. His voice remains silent. He is a man who is lost, a man his confesses is of unclean lips and from a people of unclean lips.
Isaiah is beside himself. He knows all too well the depth of his impurity. He knows the holiness of God and he knows the uncleanness of himself. And he cries out in agony and in remorse. How can he survive, how can he be a witness to all of this majesty? Uncleanness, impurity and sin simply cannot exist in the presence of the LORD. There is real danger here for the Prophet.
In rushes God's Amazing Grace. Right here we get a glimpse of what God's Promise is for all of us in Pentecost. Isaiah is in dire need of being cleansed, experiencing purity. Isaiah needs a spiritual baptism, but he cannot do it himself. Again, he comes from an unclean people, in an unclean land. A people whose king has just died having suffered from leprosy (2 Chronicles 26). This leprosy was God's judgment on King Uzziah for his rash anger and pride. Uzziah thought he could approach God on his terms and it resulted in the horrors of leprosy.
As a result of the king's sin, the whole land was polluted. The whole nation under judgment, including Isaiah. And now, here he is in the presence of the Holy One. Isaiah cries out in confession and with that cry comes the cleansing and purity of the Holy Spirit.
Isaiah needs the fire of God to take away his impurity, his sin, his uncleanness. He needs more than a ritual bath, a ceremonial washing. He needs the fire of God and it this gift of God's fire taken from the altar in verse 7 that purifies Isaiah. The fire takes away the guilt and the sin of Isaiah. He now is a new man having been baptized in the fire of the Holy Spirit.
That is the joy of Pentecost - whether one looks at the Pentecost of Acts 2 or the other Pentecost events that we have recorded in Acts 8, 10 and 19. Each time men and women, boys and girls experience a baptism in the fires of the Holy Spirit. A baptism that purifies the heart and sanctifies the soul. A baptism that redeems, justifies and sanctifies wholly.
This morning, you and I cannot still cannot on our own approach a Holy God. Like Isaiah we too are a people of unclean lips in an unclean land. We too suffer from guilt and sin. And like Isaiah we cannot join in with the praise of Heaven. We must remain silent.
But also like Isaiah, the Heavenly Father has sent His Holy Spirit to baptize us with fire. The Heavenly Father has made a way for us to be cleansed and sanctified. The Father has made a way for us to experience spiritual purity. The Father has sent His Holy Spirit to redeem us, justify us and make us holy. He has sent His Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts and lives. He has sent His Holy Spirit to consecrate us, to set us apart from sin and for us to progressively be transformed into the image of Jesus.
This morning, the joy of Pentecost is what the Holy Spirit will do in our lives. The fires of Pentecost will burn away the dross of guilt and sin in our lives. Like Moses we too will be invited to take off our shoes and tread on Holy Ground. Like Moses we shall be invited to commune with the LORD.
Pentecost ignites holiness in our lives, in our families and in our communities of faith. Pentecost makes regeneration of our hearts, minds and souls a reality. It fulfills the prophecies of Ezekiel and Jeremiah who spoke so longingly of the people of God being able to possess a new heart, a new spirit and a new life.
This morning, all of us are able and invited to praise the LORD. We are invited to join with the Heavenly Chorus through the purifying, sanctifying and justifying power of God's Holy Spirit.
III. Pentecost is a Power Possessed
There is more to Pentecost than purity. There is more to Pentecost than being cleansed and renewed. Through the power of Pentecost, God enables you and me to enjoy the restoration of the Image of Jesus in our lives. God does not leave us alone after we have been redeemed. Instead, God continues to work in our lives - "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:7) ESV
The Apostle Paul makes plain that we are not just saved from something (the penalty and power of sin) we are saved to something. We are saved to be in Christ. We are sanctified to live as God's holy people.
The high light of a marriage is not the wedding day. It is the continual day to day sharing of life with another person. It is the learning and growing and maturing as one's spirit is joined with another's spirit. It is life adventure with the one that you love.
The high light of having a child is not the day of that child's birth. Yes, that is a high moment but even higher is enjoying life with that child. Is the maturation of the relationship of parent to child and child to parent. It is the realization that you can not only be their parent but their friend. The high points are enjoying one another's lives not out of duty but out of love and appreciation.
The high light of school is not the day of the graduation. It is the continual putting into place all that one has learned and using the tools and skills gain to learn even more. It is the realization that school has been preparing you to experience life abundantly.
Paul wants us to understand that our personal Pentecost is a launching pad to an even greater life in Christ Jesus. We are made clean to be a clean people. We are purified to live a life of sanctification both as individuals and a community of faith.
One of the true joys of being a part of a faith community is living out these Pentecostal lives with one another. It is realizing that we are now a community in which the very presence of God dwells. God has chosen to dwell in and through His people called the Body of Christ.
At times that involves growing, giving, transforming, adjusting, being flexible and practicing all the fruits of the Holy Spirit. But it is life. It is realizing that if a holy people, if a Pentecostal People engage in sin, impurity or uncleanness - it is always to be seen as an anomaly.
For in Christ we can live 1 Corinthians 13. For in the power of the Holy Spirit we can have unity with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as well as one another.
It is only when we are not obeying the Holy Spirit that we suffer from grumbling, bickering and dissensions (Galatians 5:16-24). But when we live in the power of the Holy Spirit we discover the joy of being One in the Body of Christ. We enjoy a life of one needing and giving to one another.
This is the true joy of Church. This is the true joy of reading Paul's letter to the Philippians, to the Galatians and to the Ephesians for example. In each of his letter we find the potential for all kinds of divisions, for all kinds of problems to erupt and lives to collide with one another. Each letter is full of potential division and disruptions.
But in each church we see the holy ones, the sanctified ones being melted and molded together as a body of Christ. The Power of the Holy Spirit progressively bringing about a spirit of unity and harmony. It doesn't mean that all the time everyone will be on the same page. It does mean that everyone will be doing their best to be at least in the same book, near the same page.
One of the joys I was able to experience in school was to be a part of a concert band/orchestra. There is something supernatural that occurs in these gatherings. Everyone has their own individual instrument - trumpets, trombones, saxophones, clarinets, flutes, an oboe or two along with some drums and a xylophone. You can add a piano if you want to along with some violins and other various instruments.
Everyone is there, each one with their instrument and music. Each person's music a little different than the other. For the trumpet section, there is 1st Trumpet, 2nd Trumpet and 3rd Trumpet. The same is true for most of the other brass and woodwinds. The drummers have their different musical scores that show where they are to strike the drums or the cymbals. Each music sheet looking different along with each instrument looking different.
From the outside it could all appear to be chaos. Just looking at the difference between a French horn and a oboe would make one wonder how in the world they could work together. But then the conductor steps up. And in his hands is a conductors book - it holds a copy of everyone's music. The conductor can see exactly what part(s) all the individual instruments are suppose to be playing.
The conductor looks around capturing everyone's eye. He raises the baton and the music commences. While you play, you have you eyes focused on both the music and the conductor. You tune your ear to your instrument, the instruments around you and the band as a whole. You begin to breath and become one with the other brass instruments or wood winds. Then you melt together with the whole band until you are this one body of music that is being shared under the direction of the conductor. You watch as he/her guides you to play softer, then louder, then faster or slower. You begin to understand that at the beginning everyone was an individual, with different parts and music. But, now, under the conductors direction you are moving with one another, you are joining together with one another until you are this amalgamation of the sacredness of music. Suddenly, the notes on every page become sacred, they become music and they become sacred in nature.
It is very similar to what happens when people of God in faith communities come together under the leadership and direction of the Holy Spirit. We all have our individual parts to play. We all have our own instruments. But we watch, we listen and we melt together. We join heart, mind and soul with one another. Each doing their best for the other. No one wanting to shine on their own, knowing that real music happens in community.
It is the power of the Holy Spirit that is able to take a group of individuals in a particular faith community and brings about a power that causes our lives to melt and be molded together. That is the power of Pentecost. That is the Promise of the Father realized in the lives of human beings.
Just as a band in concert can mirror heaven on earth, so too are we under the direction and guidance of the Holy Spirit. And when that happens it is sacred, it is holy, it is Pentecost.
This morning, we celebrate the Promises of Our Heavenly Father,
We celebrate the Promise of the Coming of the Holy Spirit
We celebrate the Purity that Comes with the Holy Spirit
We celebrate the Power that Comes with the Holy Spirit
1Taken from Purity: Essays in Bible and Theology, edited by Andrew Brower Latz and Arseny Ermakov
